Tori is invited to join the town’s sewing circle and thinks this is the perfect opportunity to become enmeshed in a town wary of strangers. The library, Tori decides, needs a special room for children, especially after she meets elementary school teacher Milo and his class who come to the library most Fridays for enrichment in whatever unit they are working on. 

Almost single-handedly with super human speed, Tori cleans out a storage room packed with years of donations. While carting out the last box of trash, Tori stumbles on the body of Tiffany Ann Gilbert, who some consider to be the town’s sweetheart. Now Tori is the chief suspect in the murder of someone she doesn’t know, since she is the only new face in a town that never had a murder. Some are saying Tori was vying for Milo’s affections, thought by many (except for Milo) to almost be engaged to Tiffany Ann.  

Losing the faith of most of the friends she was just starting to make and fearful of losing Sweet Briar’s support for her library projects, Tori decides that only she can find the real murderer as the police are only looking in her direction. She begins looking into the hidden corners of her new town where all kinds of cobwebs and secrets lurk, all the while renovating the storage room and making new costumes for the children’s room in just over a week’s time.  

Sew Deadly is a warm, comfortable cozy set in a delightful Southern town. Tori is a lovely young woman who, at times, is just a little good to be true. She approaches her new job with a great deal of zeal and enthusiasm, but coming from someone who sorts through donated books on a regular basis, if the room was as stuffed as Tori proclaims, even with her assistant helping her, it is at least a couple weeks’ worth of work for a rough sort. 

Also, even with all the help Tori receives, setting up a new children’s room, painting, moving shelves, reshelving the books (and making a stage area and new costumes) would take more time than the week or so Tori promises the board. Tori encourages a new friend’s granddaughter to read helping her win back more confidence of her new friends little by little. 

The mystery is well-plotted and the way Tori comes across clues and follows the trail is interesting.  A side mystery of who is trying to sabotage Tori’s new position has an interesting twist, but of course, as wonderful as Tori is, all is forgiven and she has the perfect solution to make everyone feel loved and wanted. Tori wants desperately to fit into her new town, and it looks like she’s well on her way. With any luck, her energy and new ideas won’t run out anytime soon.                                                                

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry